How to Polaroid
Polaroid 300 Review (Instax Mini 7S)
Funnily enough, the Polaroid line of cameras used to be considered the ultimate measure of convenience. Take a photo and it’ll print and process itself on-the-spot. Looking at the Polaroid-style cameras now, the technology isn’t convenient anymore and outside of the pure nostalgia, I struggled with how practical the Polaroid 300 camera (Pic-300 in some regions) is to use.
Quick disclaimer, Polaroid as a company doesn’t exactly exist anymore. The original company went bankrupt twice since 2001 and the name and branding are now licensed out. I’ll continue to refer to my camera as a Polaroid 300 (that’s the name printed on the box) but realistically, what we have here is a Fujifilm Instax Mini 7S camera. Simply re-branded as Polaroid. I’ll also continue to refer as the photo prints as ‘Polaroids’.
So what’s the deal with the Polaroid Cameras?
To summarize the video in one sentence “It’s a people friendly camera”. This particular model, Polaroid 300, doesn’t have any digital functionality. You press the shutter button, a photo pops out. If you have a few questions how to operate the camera, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered at the bottom of this article with a handy ‘How to Polaroid’ video.
The camera itself is a re-branded Fujifilm Instax Mini 7S. The Fujifilm Instax Mini photo cartridges work flawlessly in the Polaroid 300. Both models, Fujifilm Instax and Polaroid-branded cameras are available in Australia. They’re both the same camera. The main difference is the price and the nicer Polaroid packaging.
So what about the features? Umm. There’s a flash?
This is about as stripped back as you can get and reminds me of those ‘disposable cameras’ my mother used to buy occasionally. No focusing, no shutter speed, no real adjustments of any kind. Tell the camera which conditions you’re shooting under (choose from 4 preset exposures) and press the button. The flash is automatic (and constantly firing) causing a lot of the photos to be over-exposed but again, that’s part of the charm.
Talking about aesthetics, the Polaroid 300 pictures have a very unique look. They’re terrible. But considering a great digital camera only costs a few hundred dollars, going back to the absolute basics was a lot of fun. Shooting with a Polaroid Instant camera is less distracting. With barely any control I had more fun getting involved and taking photos.
The colours, the flash, the deep focus all feel so out-of-step with where digital is at the moment. It was a real treat to use this camera and see the results. If the Polaroid cartridges weren’t so expensive, I would have certainly experimented more but I’ll try and keep adding shots to this article as I take them.
Is the Polaroid 300/Fujifilm Instax Mini worth it?
From the marketing copy and the packaging, I’m not the target market. It was a fun camera to use and I appreciate the aesthetics of the pictures. The Polaroid’s make my game room actually feel like it belongs in the 90’s. I just wish it was cheaper to play with and experiment.
In addition to a digital camera for events and parties, there’s still a lot of value with the Polaroid Instant format. Having the images print out at the time, I was able to flick through and look at them in the moment. Digital photos get dumped off an SD card and stored. Physical Polaroids are instantly more sharable with people around you.
This won’t be your primary camera. You have a better camera on your phone. I can’t see a scenario where this camera would become a daily, go-to shooter. I was excited to experiment with a whole different format.
What’s the take-away here? These aren’t cameras I’d recommend. If you’re not convinced, I’m not going to try and sell you on the concept in 2015.
This camera is a constant reminder how much I love printed images. It’s not just nostalgia, it’s a curated way to look and share images that mean a lot to you.
You don’t need to have a Polaroid camera to appreciate a physical print, but personally, it’s a timely reminder of how social photos can be offline.
Have some lingering questions about actually using this camera? This video should clear up any confusion.